Pumpkin Ale Brined Pork Tenderloins

[GrillinFool]

So maybe I've done a little too much experimenting with pork tenderloins these days, and I've been known to base entire recipes around a beer, so I decided to meld those to obsessions of mine and brine a couple pork tenderloins in Pumpkin Ale, slather with my pumpkin rub and reverse sear them. I can sum it up in three words. Out. Freakin. Standing.

Here's the entire post with step by step, picture by picture instructions of the recipe. And here are a couple pictures:







And for those of you that are risk averse, here's the rest of the content sans pics:

It’s that time of year again, my favorite beers on the store shelves again – the pumpkin ales. If I had them year round, they probably wouldn’t be, as the limited availability adds to my love for them, so I do my best to maximize my experience with them as you can see in the Apple Pumpkin Ribs that were inspired by the very beer I will use as a key ingredient in this post.

Ingredients:

2 pork tenderloins, tied together

Brine Ingredients:

2 bottles pumpkin ale (O’Fallon Pumpkin in this case)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup salt
12 turns of black and white pepper each



Rub Ingredients:

1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp granulated garlic
1.5 tsp paprika
10 turns of black and white pepper

Tie the tenderloins together, fat end to skinny and vice versa so they will cook evenly:

Combine the brine ingredients in a ziplock bag and churn the beer until the salt is dissolved:

Place the tenderloins in the brine and refrigerate overnight. I don’t normally brine more than about 12 hours.

The following day, combine the rub ingredients and mix together with your fingers or the back of a fork to break up any lumps. If you need more rub, follow the same ratio above which is equal parts pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and granulated garlic and a half part of paprika. I was trying to balance out the two sweets and two savories.

Remove the tenderloins from the brine and rinse them off under cold water and pat dry with a paper towel. Then apply the rub:

Normally I salt anything just before I put it on the grill, but the brine covered that step.

Set up the grill for two zone cooking, coals on one side and nothing on the other with a target temp between 250-275. Place the meat over the side with no coals and smoke wood on the other (in this case pear wood):

After 60 minutes, slide the tenderloins over the heat and sear all the way around, not just top and bottom, but left and right as well:

More cooking will happen during this searing process than the hour on the grill indirect because the sear is 360 degrees. Once seared, remove from the heat and let rest. After 10 minutes, carve and serve.

The spice of the beer permeated the meat all the way through and meshed really well with the pumpkin rub on the outside. This was definitely an outstanding flavor combo and I will do it again soon. If I don’t do it soon, I’ll have to wait till next fall.

[deguerre]

Oooooo! That sounds great! To go with the pork (and keeping to theme), you should try some of these sometime. They're in season now:

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by deguerre

Oooooo! That sounds great! To go with the pork (and keeping to theme), you should try some of these sometime. They're in season now:

Those look amazing. Please explain what's all involved. Also, please explain whey those seem to be cooking inside. This isn't the the Stove Sisterhood, but the BBQ Brethren!?!

[musman]

I was just trying to decide what I was going to make on Sunday when I return from the GABF. You just made the decision for me! Those tenderloins look great and I have a full keg of Harpoon Pumpkin Ale so I am half way ready! Thanks for sharing!

[jelser]

man that looks good...I love me some pumpkin beer.

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

Those look amazing. Please explain what's all involved. Also, please explain whey those seem to be cooking inside. This isn't the the Stove Sisterhood, but the BBQ Brethren!?!

They're mini pumpkins. Cut the top third off, scoop out the seeds, put a tbs of butter and some brown sugar in the center, recover and bake at 350 for about 30~40 minutes. Yes, these were done in the oven, but they were served with this which was smoked in the kettle...

[GrillinFool]

Originally Posted by deguerre

They're mini pumpkins. Cut the top third off, scoop out the seeds, put a tbs of butter and some brown sugar in the center, recover and bake at 350 for about 30~40 minutes. Yes, these were done in the oven, but they were served with this which was smoked in the kettle...

OK, you can stay a member of the brethren!

That's it, a tablespoon of butter and some brown sugar? Then what? You just scoop out the insides because it's soft? It almost looks like there's soup in there. I'm so doing this and soon!

[BoneDaddy's]

I am cooking the tenderloins Saturday for a party and I have a keg of Sam October chilln and waiting :-)

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by GrillinFool

OK, you can stay a member of the brethren!

That's it, a tablespoon of butter and some brown sugar? Then what? You just scoop out the insides because it's soft? It almost looks like there's soup in there. I'm so doing this and soon!

I think we also put a little cinnamon in there and of course you can add nutmeg. Yep, just scooped with a spoon and some of the skin was actually edible too (I ate one whole with a fork for funzies). Just as good as a sweet tater and the texture was better to me.

[Pappy]

How big are they? Its hard to tell for the pic. Apple size? 3" ?

[deguerre]

Originally Posted by Pappy

How big are they? Its hard to tell for the pic. Apple size? 3" ?

They average about 3 1/2 to 4" diameter.

[Camille Eonich]

I approve of this thread and all food products pictured in it. I'm gonna have to look for that pumpkin ale too.

[jonboy]

I wonder what would happen if you injected the pumpkin ale into the mini pumpkins and then smoked them on the grill? Maybe a splash of bourbon cool whip on the top to finish.

jon